Voices of NGOs on Science, Technology and Innovation

1

Voices of Non-Governmental Organizations on Science, Technology

and Innovation -and the potential of Culture- for Sustainable

Development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals

Marga Gual Soler1

September 2013

1 Marga Gual Soler is a PhD Candidate in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia. This research was conducted as a part of her internship at the United Nations Headquarters, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, NGO Branch. For any questions or comments regarding this report, she may be reached at the email address: [email protected] or via Twitter @margagual.

2

Disclaimer:

This report was written in the context of the United Nations Headquarters Internship Programme. The author interned at the NGO Branch of the Office of ECOSOC Support and Coordination, Department of Economic and Social Affairs from February to June 2013.

The views expressed in this report are solely those of the author and do not imply endorsement by the NGO Branch or the United Nations.

3

Table of Contents

1. Introduction........................................................................................................... 4

1.1. The 2013 United Nations Economic and Social Council Annual Ministerial Review .................................................................................................................. 4 1.2. Participation of NGOs in the United Nations Economic and Social Council.... 5

2. Methodology ......................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Data Collection............................................................................................... 6

3. Current situations and challenges........................................................................... 8 3.1. Earth's life support systems are breaking down............................................... 9 3.2. Intellectual property and technology transfer regulations disserve the South . 10 3.3. Women and girls lack equal access to science and technology and STEM education............................................................................................................. 11 3.4. Technology is not a panacea or silver bullet for development........................ 13 3.5. Unequal access to healthcare......................................................................... 14 3.6. Challenges in agriculture and energy ............................................................ 16 3.7. Cultural resistance to scientific advancement ................................................ 17

4. Policy recommendations: the way forward .......................................................... 18 4.1. A change of paradigm: environmental sustainability is a prerequisite for development........................................................................................................ 18 4.2. Improvement of national and international policies and technology transfer regulations........................................................................................................... 19 4.3. Women must take centre stage in sustainable development ........................... 20 4.4. Youth and ICTs: a powerful combination for societal change ....................... 22 4.5. Innovations in health and access to clean energy........................................... 23 4.6. Sustainable agriculture.................................................................................. 24 4.7 Towards a scientific culture for sustainability................................................ 24

5. Conclusions......................................................................................................... 26 6. Appendix............................................................................................................. 28

6.1. NGOs recommended to deliver oral statements at the 2013 ECOSOC High-Level Segment..................................................................................................... 28 6.2. Written Statements submitted to ECOSOC 2013........................................... 30

4

1. Introduction

1.1. The 2013 United Nations Economic and Social Council Annual Ministerial

Review

The acceleration of global environmental change in the 21st century is increasingly

posing a risk to ecosystems and societies, with the rise of extreme poverty, conflict,

inequality and environmental degradation likely to threaten the post-2015 global

development agenda. Following to the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable

Development outcome declaration,2 the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban

Ki-Moon has issued a report calling for a global, multi-stakeholder alliance to draw

on the innovations provided by science and technology as cross-cutting tools to

ensure the sustained societal and environmental wellbeing of future generations.3

Recognizing the importance of this challenge, the United Nations Economic and

Social Council (ECOSOC), which serves as the central United Nations forum for

discussing international economic, social and environmental issues, chose to focus its

2013 Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) on the theme: “Science, Technology and

Innovation – and the potential of Culture - for promoting Sustainable Development

and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The AMR was held on 1

– 4 July 2013 during the High-Level Segment of the Substantive Session of ECOSOC

at Les Palais des Nations in Geneva.4 During keynote addresses, roundtable and panel

discussions, ministerial breakfasts, general debates, side events and the annual

Innovation Fair, delegates had the opportunity to learn from leading policy makers,

practitioners and academics. Participants included government ministers, United

Nations agencies, funds and programmes, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),

private sector leaders, corporate groups and major financial institutions.

2 The Future We Want: Outcome document adopted at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, 2012. http://www.uncsd2012.org/content/documents/727The%20Future%20We%20Want%2019%20June%201230pm.pdf 3 Report of the Secretary General on “Science, technology and innovation (STI), and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the MDGs”. http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/adv2013/13_amr_sg_report.pdf 4 ECOSOC website, 2013 Annual Ministerial Review http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/julyhls/index13.shtml

5

1.2. Participation of NGOs in the United Nations Economic and Social Council

The first time that NGOs took a role in formal United Nations deliberations was

through ECOSOC in 1946. Article 71 of the United Nations Charter opened the door

for suitable arrangements for consultation with NGOs. This relationship with

ECOSOC is governed today by ECOSOC resolution 1996/31,5 which encourages

participation from NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to submit statements to

the Council. Statements can be submitted in two formats: written statements,

circulated by the Secretary-General to the Council, and oral presentations, delivered

during Council meetings. In 2013, nearly 3,800 registered NGOs enjoy consultative

status with ECOSOC,6 highlighting the increasing interest from civil society to

participate in United Nations deliberations. The Council holds a four-week

substantive session each July, alternating between New York and Geneva, in which

NGOs are encouraged to participate.

In order to solicit statements from NGOs on the theme of the AMR, the NGO Branch

of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs announced an

Open Call for oral and written statements for NGOs in consultative status with

ECOSOC. NGOs responded in unprecedented numbers as compared to the previous

ECOSOC High-Level Segment editions, with 147 written statements and 78 requests

to be heard by the Council submitted to the NGO Branch. 50 NGOs were

recommended by the NGO Committee to speak at the High-Level Segment and 26

were recommended to speak during other segments of the Substantive Session (see

Appendix). Both oral and written statements were analysed in the preparation of this

paper.

This paper attempts to summarize the views, concerns and policy recommendations

raised by NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC on how science, technology,

innovation and culture can be leveraged for sustainable development and achieving

5 Resolution 1996/31. Consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations. http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/res/1996/eres1996-31.htm 6 NGO Branch website: www.csonet.org

6

the MDGs. As the 2015 deadline is fast approaching, the majority of NGOs chose to

perform a critical analysis of the progress of MDGs, as well as contributing to the

debate on the post-2015 development agenda and the new Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs), which were being defined at the time of writing this report.7 The

recommendations presented here will serve as complementary reference to the

Ministerial declaration adopted at the end of the High-Level Segment, which provides

policy guidance and recommendations for action.

2. Methodology

The research methodology for this paper consisted in the review of all 147 written and

50 requests for oral statements submitted by the NGOs in consultative status with

ECOSOC (see Appendix). The data provides a comprehensive understanding of the

issues and concerns brought forward by the NGOs with regards to science, technology

and innovation, as well as culture, in promoting sustainable development and

achieving the MDGs.

The report is based in a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches that recognise

the importance of putting the research into a broader context. The ideas raised by the

NGOs were contextualized by consulting other materials supplied by the participating

NGOs who attended the High-Level Segment, reports by the Secretary-General,

outcome documents from Rio+20, ECOSOC preparatory meetings, statements of

Member States and documents issued by other United Nations agencies, funds and

programmes.

2.1. Data Collection

The 147 written statements were collected through the database of the Official

Document System (ODS), as each one constitutes an official document of the United

Nations, and the 50 requests for oral statements were obtained from the NGO Branch

website. Out of the 50 NGOs recommended to speak, 21 made oral presentations

7 United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform website: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org

7

during the High-Level Segment, and these were collected through the United Nations

press releases.8

The received statements varied greatly in structure, scope, geographical distribution

and thematic area of focus, providing a rich and diverse overview of the work of

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC from around the world. All statements

were first subject to quantitative analysis. As each statement was reviewed, the main

points brought up by the individual NGO were extracted and classified. As a result, 7

main thematic areas arose from the collection of statements as a whole:

1) Tackling environment and development as one

2) Intellectual property and technology transfer policies

3) Women and girls’ access to STEM education and practice

4) Youth empowerment and the revolution of ICTs

5) Healthcare

6) Agriculture and energy

7) Integrating science with culture and indigenous knowledge

On a continuous basis, each statement was assigned to one or more thematic

categories from 1 to 7, in order to understand which themes were recurrent among the

statements. This gives value to the paper in terms of statistical evidence and can give

a clear picture of which issues, challenges and recommendations were addressed by a

significant number of NGOs.

It is important to note that this collection of statements does not represent the entire

civil society and these are not all the NGOs that have consultative status with

ECOSOC. While all received statements were analyzed and allocated to one or more

main thematic categories, only the statements that included substantive content and

were structured in a clear and organized manner were included in the qualitative

analysis. In order to be considered for further analysis, statements must describe the

main issues faced by the NGOs in their work and propose policy recommendations to

8 The United Nations Office at Geneva, Press Releases & Meeting Summaries: http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpPages)/CBD301FF98AF69B980256EE700376D86?OpenDocument&count=10

8

overcome those obstacles. Following these criteria, a subset of 44 statements was

selected for best representing the views of the collection of statements as a whole, and

served to illustrate each of the 7 topics arising from the NGOs statements, which are

developed in sections 3 and 4.

The results provide the reader with a relevant overview on the main issues and

concerns presented by NGOs in ECOSOC Consultative Status, as well as an

understanding of the challenges they face on the ground, from highly diverse

perspectives. Although in general most NGOs agreed on the ultimate goal of using

science, technology and innovation as tools to achieving sustainability for all, there

were not always in agreement with each other, and conflicting points of view are

presented to illustrate the complexity of the theme. Using science, technology and

innovation as a backbone, this paper demonstrates the challenges derived of the

interconnectedness among all MDGs, and how they are intrinsically linked with

sustainable development.

3. Current situations and challenges

In his opening remarks for the 2013 High-Level Segment, the President of ECOSOC,

Mr. Nestor Osorio, highlighted that many fields of human endeavour had made

significant improvements in just a few generations, yet there were still over one

billion people living in extreme poverty. Science, technology and innovation could

significantly influence each of the three dimensions of sustainable development –

economic, social and environmental – and present huge opportunities for states to

create and foster an enabling environment for scientific and technological innovation

at the national level, and to use culture to improve lives.9

It is worth noting that access to science and its benefits is a human right recognised by

Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

9 2013 ECOSOC High-Level Segment Opening Remarks by H.E. Mr. Nestor Osorio. http://papersmartv4.unmeetings.org/media/3597540/mr._nestor_osorio__president__ecosoc.pdf

9

(ICESCR),10 but the promotion and application of this right has largely been

neglected by governments, the scientific and human rights communities, and society

at large.11

In the following analysis, NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC applaud the

successes and point at the failures of the MDGs in their respective areas of work

related to science and technology, providing invaluable insights and recommendations

on how science, technology and innovation can be harnessed to successfully transition

from the MDGs to the new SDGs in the post-2015 era.

3.1. Earth's life support systems are breaking down

The vast majority of statements presented severe concerns with the fact that, despite

decades of global development efforts, planet Earth still hosts 1.2 billion people who

live on less than a dollar a day, 1 billion lack access to safe drinking water, 1.5 billion

lack access to electricity and 2 billion face food insecurity, according to the Third

World Academy of Sciences (TWAS, granted Roster ECOSOC consultative status in

1985). These problems will be only getting worse with climate change, biodiversity

loss and environmental pollution. According to Save the Children International

(SCTI, General, 1993) “the MDGs failed to recognise linkages between social an

environmental determinants: the poor remain the most vulnerable to environmental

hazards and lack basic sanitation, hygiene and water, undermining their ability to

sustain livelihoods.” Most NGOs agreed that overcoming these challenges can no

longer be accomplished with the usual approach, as problems cannot be solved using

the same tools that caused them. Pursuing a post-2015 development agenda without

prioritizing environmental sustainability is certainly going to undermine the agenda's

purpose.

In this context, the International Council for Scientific Unions (ICSU, Special, 1971)

warned: “Scientific evidence shows that humanity has reached a point in history at

10 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1976. http://shr.aaas.org/article15/Documents/Home%20page_ICESCR.pdf 11 Chapman and Wyndham, 2013. A Human Right to Science. Science, 340 no. 6138 p. 1291.

10

which the stable functioning of the Earth systems is at risk,12 and this is a prerequisite

for development. Human-induced global environmental change is occurring at a faster

rate and intensity, increasing the vulnerability of human societies by causing extreme

weather, deteriorating conditions for food production, ecosystem loss, ocean

acidification and sea level rise.” Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio

(SMOCSG, Special, 2011) reinforced this point: “The current "business as usual"

approach is unsustainable, both for those who have already benefited as well as for

those who live in conditions of deprivation.” Lastly, the World Circle of the

Consensus: Self-sustaining People, Organizations and Communities (Roster, 2000)

reminded: “We live in a world facing major planetary changes that will impact on

climate, natural and complex disasters, food water and energy availability, and trigger

socio-economic failures, humanitarian crises and conflict across the globe that will

pose threats to development. Maintenance of the status quo is no longer a viable

approach.”

3.2. Intellectual property and technology transfer regulations disserve the South

Many NGOs were worried about the disconnection between scientific discovery and

societal progress, a relationship largely neglected by most governments worldwide.

SMOCSG reported that because of the nature of scientific research, short-sighted

policies that might have worked for other sectors in the past do not favour progress in

science, technology and innovation. The situation is much worse for developing and

least developed countries (LDCs), as they are excluded from the innovations

developed in the North. As Unnayan Onneshan (UO, Special, 2012) points out:

“LDCs lag far behind from developed countries in scientific knowledge, innovation

and technological development, as reflected in share of researchers, publications,

patents, royalties and licensing fees. Although allowance of monopoly rents, patents

and intellectual property rights are pursued as incentives for private sector to

innovate, these serve a little in bringing equalizing effects to the world. The North

made numerous promises in international agreements to transfer technologies to

developing countries, but these never moved beyond public relations and were not

actionable through adequate resources and compliance mechanisms.” According to 12 Griggs et al., 2013. Sustainable development goals for people and planet. Nature 495, 305–307.

11

Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione Febbraio 74 (CRDF, General, 2002), current

intellectual property regulations can favour the occurrence of a “technological drift,”

that is: “a society's dependence on the science and technology produced elsewhere,

without there being the capacity to handle, adapt, modify and develop it and to steer

its use. If this occurs, societies must incorporate imitative models of growth and face

difficulties in governing themselves within the context of global dynamics.”

In the case of Least and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), access to technological

advances continues to be a key barrier limiting their contributions to sustainable

development. Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED, Special,

2008) explained that, in LMICs, research and science are mostly funded from external

sources of aid and focus on agriculture and health, because supporting national

research and innovation has not been seen as core to development collaboration. As a

consequence, as LMIC economies improve and transition to middle-income status,

their national science and innovation systems are not ready to become engines of

development like in high-income countries.

3.3. Women and girls lack equal access to science and technology and STEM

education

For over thirty years, the United Nations General Assembly and ECOSOC have

emphasized the inequalities and disparities in educational opportunities open to

women and girls, and in women's access to training and employment. NGOs agreed

that highlighting gender equality as one of the eight MDGs has helped to underline

the gender dimensions of science and technology. Nevertheless, the International

Federation of University Women (IFUW, Special, 1947) noted the gender imbalance

that persists in science, technology and innovation worldwide: “Numbers of women

in science, technology and innovation fall as they progress from secondary school to

university, professional occupation and higher levels of decision-making.

Consistently low levels of women subsist in the skilled technology workforce, with

even fewer women in senior management and leading large companies.”

According to most NGOs, the unequal participation of women and girls in science

and technology is strongly rooted on cultural stereotypes and arise early in childhood.

12

A UNESCO portrait of the gender gap in science around the globe suggests that

success in math and the hard sciences, far from being a matter of gender, is almost

entirely dependent on culture.13 Even in developed countries, where boys and girls are

generally provided with equal opportunities for education in Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics disciplines (STEM), these fields are still dominated by

men. The reason is, according to Training for Women Network (Special, 2012), that

“the socialization process and stereotypes highly inform choices and behaviours of

individuals in relation to education, resulting in a gendered educational system”.

Many NGOs warned about the global cultural misrepresentation of the scientific

endeavour that perpetuates gender inequality in science and technology in both

developed and developing countries, and enforces a “leaking pipeline” in STEM

careers. CRDF said that “the scientific environment is unfriendly for women due to

hidden structure of discrimination and persistence of negative stereotypes identifying

science and technology with masculinity, and the underrepresentation of women in

scientific leadership.”

Women's Board Educational Cooperation Society (Special, 2001) highlighted the

importance of promoting access of women into STEM fields in terms of economic

progress, as there is a link between the social and economic development of a country

and the educational level of its female population: “With women accounting for more

than 50% of the world population, it is imperative that any country seeking greater

science and technology development and relevance would place a great emphasis on

the science and technology education of the girl – child.”

Assemblea delle Donne per lo Sviluppo e la Lotta Contro L'Esclusione (ASDO,

Special, 2008) explained that women’s and girl’s scientific education fulfills many

MDGs besides gender equality: “The promotion of women's and girls' equal

participation in science is strictly connected with many apparently separate goals

besides obviously supporting gender equality. First, it directly satisfies the right to

universal education, of which science and technology are essential parts. Second,

contributes to the fight against poverty, as ensuring women's scientific knowledge and

13 The Gender Gap in Science. UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2012. http://www.uis.unesco.org/ScienceTechnology/Documents/sti-women-in-science-en.pdf

13

technological skills is essential for economic growth, and third, the goals of reducing

child mortality, improving maternal health, combating diseases and environmental

sustainability would all benefit if women's scientific literacy is improved.” NGOs

agreed that no single approach is sufficient to achieve women's equal participation in

science and technology in developing as well as developed countries. “Stereotyped

and male-gendered representations alienate girls and women, while conditioning

research priorities, as the experience of gender medicine has demonstrated. Inequality

favours brain-drain and waste of resources, reduces the capacity to socially

contextualize research activities, increases organizational conflicts and feeds the

diffusion of distorted representations of the scientific work,” ASDO continued.

When it comes to access to education, challenges are clearly higher for women in

developing countries, according to Voice of Change International (VCI, Special,

2012). This is attributed to discriminatory barriers, gender gaps and unpaid caring

responsibilities. In this context, Mouvement Mondial des Mères International

(MMMI, General, 2004), pointed out that one of the main reasons why women lag

behind in science, technology and innovation activities is the women's and girls’

burden of unpaid work: “Unpaid work is a burden and obstacle for women's rights in

developing countries: "time poverty" robs women of time to engage in education and

income generating activities, perpetuating economic poverty.”

Finally, Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (Special, 1996)

reminded that: “Access of girls and women to participation in science and technology

is imperative for achieving gender equality and is an economic necessity leading to

full participation of women and girls in social, economic and political development.”

3.4. Technology is not a panacea or silver bullet for development

The development of widespread, increasingly affordable access to the Internet and

mobile phones is arguably the most critical enabling technology for the transition to

sustainability and achievement of the MDGs since the 1992 Earth Summit, said

Information Habitat: Where Information Lives (IHWL, Special, 1995). The past

decade has seen enormous technological advances throughout the developing world,

especially in the communications and information sector, with the rise of mobile

14

technology and Internet access. Several advancements powered by information and

communications technology (ICTs) are rapidly changing the face of development,

including digital culture, wireless communications and infrastructure, open

government and open data, online meeting spaces, disaster warning and response.

New technologies now enable data mapping, and new geo-spatial statistical tools

enable real-time visualization of how and where resources best meet needs, and open-

access data maps enable evidence-based interventions in health, education, justice and

women empowerment.

However, the biggest ICT revolution concerns the education sector: “ICTs can

provide numerous channels to bring educational options to those historically excluded

including people in rural areas without schools, women facing social barriers limiting

access to education, students with disabilities or specific vocational training needs,”

stated Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (Special, 2009). ICTs have

dramatically improved education affordability and access to education for children in

remote and disadvantaged areas and communities. With the advent of Massive Open

Online Courses (MOOCS) it seems now feasible to achieve universal primary

education. But AVSI Foundation (General, 1996) alerts: “Technology is not a panacea

or a silver bullet for development, which is a complex phenomenon involving the

interplay of multiple factors.” There is a gap regarding the use of ICTs between rich

and poor countries, urban and rural populations, and men and women, being women

in rural areas the most profoundly affected by this digital divide that precludes their

access to information and new technologies that could lighten the load of time-

consuming routine activities. AVSI further explained that technology should not drive

education, and ICTs alone (the simple delivery of computers) cannot solve

educational problems rooted in poverty and social inequality. Also, technology cannot

fully replace teachers and human interaction in the learning process.

3.5. Unequal access to healthcare

Health constitutes a platform on which all the other MDGs build on, as health

indicators are a measure of sustainable development across all sectors. SCTI

denounced that “despite global commitment on the MDGs, 99% of children under 5

die in developing countries from mostly preventable causes. The MDGs do not

15

consistently confront inequality, in some countries it is even widening, especially in

conflict-affected countries, with none expected to achieve a single MDG by 2015.”14

The reason is an insufficient focus on accountability: human rights have been ignored,

there is no formal system for non-state actors accountability due to poor data quality,

and health actions have focused on specific diseases and population groups, often

neglecting rare diseases. None of the three "health MDGs" has been reached: current

incentive systems leave millions without access to products to prevent, treat or cure

disease. COHRED stated that “global health research financing remains poorly

coordinated with national research and development agendas such that - for example -

after decades of providing vaccines to children in Africa, there is only one World

Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified vaccine producer. This is hardly

sustainable development, it remains ‘relief’.”

Additional concerns were raised by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

(Special, 2012), about the vulnerability of children, noting that there are 7 million

people lacking access to HIV treatment and only 25% of young people receive

treatment because there is very limited R&D specifically targeting children living

with HIV: “The vast majority of vaccine trials have not included paediatric

populations, and many formulations of HIV treatments are unpalatable for children

and require refrigeration, often unavailable in developing countries.”

Many NGOs focused their statements on the potential of science and technology to

improve the quality of life of people living with disabilities. The WHO reports that

15% of the world's population are persons with disabilities, 80% of whom live in rural

areas.15 Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (Special,

2010) said that universal design and accessibility of ICTs are integral components of

sustainable development, since accessible technologies are equalizing factors for

people with disabilities to obtain education, achieve employment and participate in

the community. However, “the MDG programmes designed to reduce poverty and

increase levels of health, education and employment, inadvertently denied these

opportunities to the world’s one billion persons living with a disability, especially 14 World Development Report 2011, The World Bank. http://www.c-r.org/sites/c-r.org/files/WDR2011.pdf 15 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/

16

women.” The World Blind Union (WBI, General, 1999) highlighted a number of

innovations such as assistive and mobility devices, low vision aids and digitally

accessible information systems with the potential to enhance employability and

reduce the economic inequities of disabled persons. However, WBI also denounced

that 95% of people with visual disabilities in developing countries have no access to

technologically advanced aid devices and they don't meet universal design standards,

preventing access to education, information, participation and representation in

decision-making processes.

3.6. Challenges in agriculture and energy

AVSI warns that water insufficiency, climate change, scarcity of land and rising

energy costs are placing a heavy burden on agricultural systems and threatening food

security in the developing world. Access to technological advances is a key barrier

limiting the contribution of small-medium farmers to sustainable development,

resulting in the poor and marginalized consumers being deprived of the advantages

offered by technology. “In developed countries, agriculture has enormously benefited

from technology, with the advent of improved farming systems with pest-resistant

seeds, higher yields and the possibility to adapt to drought with new farming

techniques requiring little water, but developing countries are not reaping the benefits

of these technological innovations”, states the Center for Africa Development and

Progress (Special, 2012).

One recurrent topic among many statements was that MDGs cannot be achieved

without provision for sustainable and affordable energy to meet the requirements of

an expanding world population in the 21st Century. It is becoming clear that true

economic growth requires increased energy consumption. According to the Academy

for Future Science (AFS, Special, 2003), almost all countries, especially those in

Africa, are seeing an annual increase in electricity usage, as confirmed by the report

of the Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic Project. 16 Studies show that

approximately 20% of the world's population (1.5 billion people) lack modern

16 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTAFRICA/Resources/AICD_exec_summ_9-30-08a.pdf

17

electricity in their homes; in Africa, this figure is closer to 80%. Most of those

without electricity live in rural areas where large-scale electric power systems remain

out of reach, but as many as 25 African countries continue to face blackouts from

inferior utilities or insufficient energy supplies. Simultaneously, fossil fuels are

becoming less affordable. It seems evident that a significant amount of global

financial resources will be needed to develop renewable energy technologies,

particularly solar energy.

3.7. Cultural resistance to scientific advancement

The last major topic brought forward by NGOs was the need for a global cultural shift

towards sustainability. As defined by the National Council of Child Rights Advocates

(NCCRA, Special, 2011): “Culture is a group of people's way of life, their behaviours,

beliefs, values, and symbols they accept and pass on by communication and imitation

from one generation to the next, without thinking about them.” Culture plays a key

role in the road towards achieving the MDGs: “A nation's cultural heritage is essential

to understand a country and its people, helps affirm identity, preserves social cohesion

and sustains livelihoods as an economic driver, with the ability to create work and

income to improve poverty,” said the American Foundation of Savoy Orders (Roster,

2005), citing examples such as sustainable cultural tourism and cultural heritage sites.

In addition, the Women Environmental Programme (WEP, Special, 2005) brought

forward that indigenous knowledge has great potential to generate innovation from

both formal enterprises and informal grassroots inventions.

While in most cases culture is a crucial, positive agent to preserve indigenous

knowledge and ensure tailored practices to the local environment, it can also pose

barriers to the adoption of evidence-based strategies for sustainable development.

Movement for a Better World (Special, 2003) illustrates this point: “Since culture is

based on tradition, it offers security; it's what people rely on for livelihood and

relationships. When these aspects are threatened, people will react adversely to

whatever is introduced and to what is imposed without their participation.”

Science, on the other hand, is an “organized body of knowledge about the behaviour

of the natural and physical world based on facts that can be experimented and are

18

independent of beliefs, values and traditions”, as defined by NCCRA. The application

of new scientific advances is indispensable for solving some of the problems

associated with the cultural frameworks of nations. One clear example is how cultural

mindsets reinforcing gender inequality have perpetuated human rights violations and

exploitative actions against women and girls, sexually, economically, educationally

and politically. This demonstrates that the psycho-sociological makeup of a particular

society must be taken into account, as culture is one of the main aspects that will

determine the acceptance or rejection of scientific and technological innovation. Since

not all of the globally adopted strategies for achieving the MDGs are aligned to the

same extent with each culture’s own values, one must consider the prominent role of

culture as either a resistance or a promoter of sustainable development efforts.

4. Policy recommendations: the way forward

4.1. A change of paradigm: environmental sustainability is a prerequisite for

development

The human development agenda is under threat if not considered in conjunction with

the environment, recognizing interdependencies among food, water, energy, land and

climate systems. ICSU notes that “integrating poverty reduction, economic, social and

planetary environmental goals (the SDGs mandated by Rio+20) can address urgent

global problems, and recommends policymakers to embrace the new unified

framework, recognizing that new knowledge from scientific research is vital.” ICSU

stressed the importance of establishing new international research initiatives across

the natural, social and economic sciences to guide policies and business to address

sustainable development challenges. During the delivery of his oral statement at the

High-Level Segment, ICSU representative Dr. Gisbert Glaser presented the new

global initiative “Future Earth”, a new 10-year research programme which aims to

provide the knowledge necessary to tackle the most urgent challenges of the 21st

century related to global sustainability17. WFO also proposed an integrated framework

for the post-2015 agenda built around human rights, gender equality and

17 http://www.futureearth.info

19

sustainability, with its 4 core dimensions: social, environmental, economic, peace and

security.

4.2. Improvement of national and international policies and technology transfer

regulations

NGOs stated firmly that not only the scientific community must adopt this new

paradigm. ICSU urged governments to commit to large-scale investments in targeted

interdisciplinary research, scientific and technological capacity building (in particular

in developing countries), fostering North-South and South-South cooperation and

technology sharing, enhancing long-term observing systems, strengthening science-

policy links, developing public-private partnerships and providing public and open

access to data and information. Supporting this point, SMOCSG stated that

governments should look beyond borders, short-term interests and commit to a global

science and technology partnership, increasing cooperation and knowledge-sharing.

WFO recognized the importance of strengthening the science-policy interface,

encouraging the design of new development pathways that include voices from all

stakeholders and encourage creativity and innovation in the pursuit of sustainable

growth and development.

Donor agencies should also make the investment in science, technology and

innovation for sustainable development a priority. COHRED encouraged Member

States to increase their own investments in science, technology and innovation for

health, with a better coordination with international bodies and bi-lateral cooperation

agencies. TWAS believes in recognizing, supporting and promoting excellence in

scientific research in the developing world, particularly responding to the needs of

young scientists in science, technology and innovation-lagging countries.

At the policy level, NGOs identified two opposing models for science and

technological advancement: top-down and bottom-up. For example, Asian NGOs

celebrated a well-structured institutional framework and a high investment from their

governments in scientific education and research. In contrast, African NGOs describe

a dramatic increase in grass-roots movements for ICT advancement, as well as the

promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship, as a response to the lack of initiative

20

from African governments. Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi (General, 2012) proposed a

combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches. First, by empowering citizens

through individual entrepreneurship, education of minorities and women, and equal

opportunities for economic, social and political participation; second, by enforcing

public policies for sustainable development based on political accountability. Most

NGOs agreed that effective partnerships must be established among the United

Nations system, governments and empowered citizens to achieve sustainable

development.

UO called for an international partnership for technology transfer from developed to

developing countries. They proposed the establishment of an international body to

provide financial, regulatory and legal mechanisms for compliance in technology

transfer in favour of the recipients. At the national level, an increase in public

investment in science, technology and innovations is essential for its multiplier effects

and positive impact in society. For example, UO proposed governments to encourage

private sector investments in research and development with tax incentives.

4.3. Women must take centre stage in sustainable development

WEP highlighted the dual role women and girls will play in the post-2015

development agenda: women will be both drivers and targets of science, technology

and innovation efforts and policies. By placing women at the center of development,

multiple areas will benefit simultaneously: food production and agriculture, child and

family care, natural resources management, renewable energy, climate change, and

education, among others.

To bridge the gender gap in girls’ education, VCI proposed to strengthen the United

Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI)18 to secondary and tertiary education.

Some of their recommendations included: improving affordability of school,

providing more scholarships, increasing the number of schools in rural areas,

reforming the curriculum oriented to girls and increasing the number women teachers.

18 www.ungei.org

21

Achieving these targets will largely depend on strengthening partnerships between

development partners, civil society and women's organizations.

Many NGOs believe that ensuring women’s and girls’ equal participation in science

and technology requires fixing the current distorted representation of the scientific

endeavour. CLCGS urged Member States to put science, technology and innovation at

the service of girls' and womens' dignity and empowerment. ASDO proposed to

transform research institutions into a welcoming environment for women by

promoting culture changes in traditional science and technology behaviours,

supporting work-life balance, providing extra support in the delicate early-stage

career phase and including a gender dimension in research and innovation practice.

All NGOs agreed that it is imperative to promote more women to leadership positions

in all areas related to science, including research practice, management,

communication and science-society relationships.

During the High-Level Segment, IFUW’s representative made three key

recommendations to address gender imbalance in science and technology: 1)

Strengthening educational policies for enrolment of women in science, technology

and innovation programmes, 2) Implementing policies that support childcare, equal

pay and gender mainstreaming and 3) Involving women scientists in policy making

bodies and promote them to greater roles in government politics and legislation.

TWAS urged states to promote activities to build individual and institutional capacity,

for example supporting youth and women in science trough collaborations with other

organizations and private sector partnerships, such as the L’Oreal – UNESCO “For

Women in Science” Laureates and Fellowship Programmes.19

MMMI reminded that ICTs are essential tools for women’s economic empowerment

and represent a huge time saver, reducing their unpaid work burden. ICTs can provide

e-services such as online education and practical information on banking, nutrition,

and health. In addition, states must put infrastructure development on top of the

19 http://www.loreal.com/Foundation/Article.aspx?topcode=Foundation_AccessibleScience_WomenExcellence_W

22

agenda in order to reduce women’s unpaid work burden, for example by conducting

time-use surveys. Including unpaid work in the post-2015 agenda will serve as a good

indicator of equality, well-being and development of women and their communities.

4.4. Youth and ICTs: a powerful combination for societal change

As the MDG deadline of 2015 approaches, many NGOs were disappointed that some

of the best minds have not been able to implement ideas or programs that effect

positive social change. But one group has been successful in helping us all examine

the status quo and revolutionizing the way we address these persistent problems:

youth.

Youth make up 20% of the world's population and are major stakeholders in a

sustainable Earth and inclusive societies, but NGOs agreed in that their potential has

not been fully tapped on. Recently, young people have started to revolutionize the

world using social media. The Internet has enabled them to share and access

knowledge in unexpected ways and scale: it is a decentralized and end-to-end

architecture which empowers the edges rather than the centre of the network,

facilitating the ability for individuals to share, receive and impact information and

ideas across frontiers, ultimately promoting cross-cultural collaboration, tolerance and

peace. In this context, Salesian Missions (SM, Special, 2007) reminded: “Youth have

been instrumental in helping us all examine the status quo and revolutionized the way

we address persistent problems. The Arab Spring, Occupy events, flash mobs, mobile

applications and creative use of social media empowered large groups of citizens to

effect needed changes and allowed young people to express the discontent, frustration

and anger of not just their own generation, but of their parents and other adults

weighed down by oppressive systems. Social media became more powerful than

weapons in mobilizing people”. FAI added: “Youth emphasizes the role of technology

in networking, idea exchange, information, education, business, employability and

accountability of governments and policies to ensure good governance, which

combined promote innovative solutions to challenges such as conflict resolution,

displacement and resettlement.” Nevertheless, youth have encountered great

resistance to their aspirations of change, SM continues: “While applauding the

courage and creativeness on the young in effecting social changes, we need to create

23

an enabling environment to further empower the young to find new solutions to

persistent problems. Their willingness to experiment, take risks and think in new and

innovative ways may lead us to discover solutions that have long eluded us.”

Young people have already started developing innovative technologies to help

diagnose disease and analyze climate change. New businesses that have utilized

technology created and designed by young people have enhanced all of our lives. The

ease with which young people are able to develop new applications for our everyday

use, making it easier to accomplish routine activities and explore new ideas needs to

be tapped into to further the common good. All NGOs agreed that these developments

will assist us as we work to create a more sustainable future.

4.5. Innovations in health and access to clean energy

Most NGOs agreed that in the new post-2015 agenda health should be made a

priority. In this line, STCI proposed a new framework of goals to deliver health

outcomes: 1) Ending preventable child and maternal mortality by establishing

universal health coverage with a strong public-led health system (quoting the recent

United Nations General Assembly resolution and Right to Health report). 2)

Improving health worker ratios and tracking investment in health. 3) Establishing

legal frameworks to address inequities, as the poor and less educated from rural areas

remain without healthcare. 4) Promoting multi-sectorial partnerships to ensure access

to medicines, coordinate R+D agendas to respond to the needs of the poor and the use

of better indicators to track national progress (using big data and ICTs).

Innovations in the clean and renewable energies sector were regarded by many NGOs

as the most crucial for empowering communities in critical health issues, allowing

doctors to treat patients at night, keeping life-saving medicines and vaccines

refrigerated, and securing access to clean water by water pumps. Most NGOs agreed

that the most promising environmentally-friendly technology for the developing

world are solar-powered facilities. They can generate enough income to self-fund

maintenance, and the possibility of remote disease monitoring and diagnostics is cost-

effective. In this context, MMMI stressed the importance of access to clean water and

sanitation, and proposed a number of strategies to improve low-cost water

24

technologies: wind or solar powered electric pumps, desalination plants, wastewater

reuse and household purification systems, which will provide sanitation measures to

prevent waterborne diseases from water pollution, which are essential for reducing

child mortality.”

Finally, WBU reminded that innovative technologies must not forget people living

with disabilities, by manufacturing visual aid products and delivering services that are

accessible, affordable and comply with universal design standards. This includes the

Internet, with all websites of state actors, private entities and civil society agencies in

compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

4.6. Sustainable agriculture

OCAPROCE stressed that, in the case of Africa, the entire state machinery needs

restructuration, focusing on market liberalization and environmentally-friendly

agriculture. In their oral statement during the High-Level Segment, OCAPROCE

reminded that any approach at raising incomes through agriculture for poverty

alleviation should take particular attention to its sustainability. OCAPROCE

recommended governments to offer training programs to help educate farmers,

especially rural farmers in order to keep pace with the technological know-how of

changing times. Gender wise, policies aimed at promoting women’s access and

ownership to land should be formulated and enforced.

AFS has established large and small scale biomass facilities to generate power for

cooking and other household uses: “Biomass technologies can enhance soil quality,

helping to create a wide variety of agricultural products which can generate income

for the local community. Renewable energy technologies are also effective in

producing clean water, essential in combating disease and reducing child mortality.”

All NGOs unanimously agreed that reducing the current dependency on fossil fuels

by adopting renewable energy technologies will be instrumental reducing CO2

emissions to fight climate change.

4.7 Towards a scientific culture for sustainability

25

Many NGOs coincided in that some of the most effective strategies for addressing

poverty have been successful because they included the people living in poverty

themselves. They shared their knowledge and experience about which strategies

worked best and assisted policy makers in coming to new understandings about the

reality of poverty, proposing new ways to overcome it. Thus, in the post-2015 agenda,

it will be essential to continue to make impoverished communities actors responsible

of their own sustainable development. How this can be achieved? The answer might

be found in the cultural aspect of sustainability.

UCLG described culture as the 4th pillar of sustainable development. MBW reminded

that “the psychological and sociological makeup of a group in a given culture must be

taken into account when implementing scientific and technological innovations

strategies, or else the effort is doomed to fail.” On the contrary, many NGOs agreed

that if the community approves and accepts the innovation it will foster its growth and

multiplication. In order to achieve this goal, Legiao de Boa Vontade (General, 1999)

believes that producing and disseminating socio-environmental technologies also

involves the valuing and preservation of cultures and knowledge accumulated over

thousands of years by both traditional and scientific communities.

In this context, SM further explained: “Culture must be fully integrated in human-

centred approaches to development. Any change process requiring the acceptance and

adoption by a particular human group must be examined by the group, which has been

previously informed and exposed to its advantages and disadvantages. When people

are active participants of the proposed change, in other words, they “own it”, the

particular culture will then be in a position to adopt the innovation, and promote its

growth and multiplication over time.” AVSI warned about the risks of applying

technological innovations without the human factor: “Lively civil society groups and

organizations are expressions of an individual and group's development priorities and

opportunities to be pursued at the family, work and community levels.” AVSI

explained that this risk can be seen in certain applications of mobile technologies to

health care problems in Sub-Saharan Africa: “While incredibly useful and cost-

efficient, the trend towards a distancing of the patient-doctor relationship could bring

challenges and consequences of its own. Our recent work has focused on the role of

community health workers as agents who are capable of utilizing technology and in

26

the same time to effectively, personally reach and serve the most marginalized

communities, underlining the importance of the availability of an appropriate agent to

carry the technology to the last mile.”

A cultural resistance to scientific and technological innovations might be explained by

the lack of integration of science in the every day lives of society. Today, there is a

rising importance of actors (public, private and non-profit) external to the scientific

"establishment", but who have an increasing role in orienting the research and its

products. “Scientific communication and strengthening the public understanding of

science should be leveraged as a cultural instrument, not only to inform or dialogue,

but also to build a higher responsibility on scientific research among the different

actors. Society needs to acquire scientific knowledge and attitudes for developing

their cultural heritage since science and society are intrinsically related,” stated

CDRF. Nevertheless, many NGOs believe it is important to provide scientific

explanations to certain superstitious or supernatural beliefs that negatively influence

effective teaching and learning of science.

5. Conclusions

“Our loyalties are to the species and the planet. We speak for Earth.”

- Carl Sagan.

In his Report of the Secretary-General for the 2013 Annual Ministerial Review, Ban

Ki-Moon declared: “Although a wealth of scientific information is available on

sustainability challenges, this information often does not reach policymakers and

other stakeholders in formats that are easy to understand or implement. The

development of successful science, technology and innovation policies and strategies

for sustainable development requires a continuous dialogue between scientists,

policymakers and society”. The Secretary-General has taken steps to bridge this gap

by appointing a new Scientific Advisory Board “in an effort to influence and shape

orientations at the multilateral level to advance sustainable development and poverty

eradication worldwide, as well as strengthen the interface between science, policy and

27

society.”20. The announcement was made on 24 September 2013, during the inaugural

meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

Still, the United Nations needs to listen and include civil society in the post-2015

discussion on sustainable development. As stated by several NGOs, today’s scientific

and technological progress is still genderised and westernised. The challenges faced

by humanity are global in scope but at the same time are local in the ways they

materialise. NGOs stressed the importance of incorporating excluded groups –

especially women and girls, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and

indigenous peoples – into the innovation process, to broaden the range of contributors

setting priorities and enhancing the potential for success. These approaches, which in

their most inclusive forms represent knowledge co-creation between scientific and

local knowledge-holders, have proven to be powerful means of generating solutions

to many problems.

This paper demonstrates the will of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC to

bridge the gap between all stakeholders and partner for a new paradigm in sustainable

development. Their knowledge of the day-to-day challenges “on the ground” is

invaluable, thus the United Nations must recognise and strengthen its commitment to

work with NGOs and include the full scope of diverse and plural voices raised by

civil society. NGOs are ready to bring about new approaches to development that are

sensitive to human diversity, in order to create a true “culture of sustainability”.

NGOs agreed that the post-2015 framework should be globally agreed, mutually

owned and locally relevant, based on human rights, transparent, multi-stakeholder and

evidence-based, investing in civil society's capacity to engage in accountability

processes. CRDF concludes: “A global partnership is imperative among governments,

non-governmental organizations, innovative entrepreneurs and research scientists to

bring the technological innovations closer to the people, insisting in the societal

dimension of science, convinced that science must be able to speak to everybody,

listen to everybody, answer the needs of any society, to become the endowment of all

components of the human community.” 20 https://en.unesco.org//themes/science-sustainable-future/scientific-advisory-board-united-nations-secretary-general

6. Appendix

6.1. NGOs recommended to deliver oral statements at the 2013 ECOSOC High-

Level Segment

Organization Type of Status

Year of Status

Academic Council on the United Nations System General 1996

Action Sensibilisation sur les Nouvelles Technologies de L'Information et de la Communication

Special 2011

African Citizens Development Foundation Special 2009 Assemblea delle Donne per lo Sviluppo e la Lotta Contro L'Esclusione (ASDO) Special 2008 Association des Etats Generaux des Etudiants de l'Europe Special 1998 Association des Jeunes pour l'Agriculture du Mali Special 2012

Association Mauritanienne pour la promotion du droit Special 2011

Association Points-Coeur Special 2005

Center for Africa Development and Progress Special 2012 Center for Practice-Oriented Feminist Science (PROFS) Special 2001 Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione Febbraio 74 General 2002

Child Helpline International Special 2011

CIBJO - The World Jewellery Confederation Special 2006

CIFA Convention of Independent Financial Advisors Special 2007

Confédération Européenne des Cadres CEC Special 2012 Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)

General 2002

Environmental Management for Livelihood Improvement - Bwaise Facility Special 2011 Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo Special 2004

Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi General 2012

HYDROAID Water for Development Institute Special 2011

Innovation: Africa Special 2012

Institute of International Social Development Special 2000

International Committee for Arab-Israeli Reconciliation Special 2006

International Council of Scientific Unions Special 1971

International Federation for Family Development General 2011

International Federation for Home Economics Special 1981

International Federation of University Women Special 1947

International Human Rights & Anti-Corruption Society Special 2012

International Ontopsychology Association Special 1999

Internet Society Special 2010

Legiao da Boa Vontade - Legion of Good Will General 1999

Major Alliance Education Centre (MAEC) Special 2012

Manavata Special 2012

National Council of Child Rights Advocates, Nigeria: South West Zone Special 2011

New Future Foundation, Inc. Special 2008

Objectif Sciences International Special 2011

Observatorio Mexicano de la Crisis, Asociación Civil Special 2012

ONG Hope International General 2011 Organisation Mondiale des associations pour l'éducation prénatale Special 2005 Organisation pour la Communication en Afrique et de Promotion de la Cooperation Economique Internationale - OCAPROCE Internationale

Special 2008

Osservatorio per la Comunicazione Culturale e l'Audiovisivo nel Mediterraneo e nel Mondo

Special 2005

29


Year of Status

Save the Children International General 1993

Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre Special 2011 Society for Human advancement and Disadvantaged Empowerment (SHADE) Special 2011 Sudanese Women General Union Special 2007

Unión de Asociaciones Familiares Special 2005

United Cities and Local Governments General 1947

Unnayan Onneshan Special 2012

Virtue Foundation Special 2005

Women's Health and Education Center Special 2008

30

6.2. Written Statements submitted to ECOSOC 2013


Year of Status

UN Document Symbol21

Abiodun Adebayo Welfare Foundation Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/3

Academy for Future Science Special 2003 E/2013/NGO/4 Action Sensibilisation sur les Nouvelles Technologies de L'Information et de la Communication

Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/92

African Citizens Development Foundation Special 2009 E/2013/NGO/5

African Women's Association Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/25 Agence de Developpement Economique et Culturel Nord-Sud Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/93 All India Movement for Seva Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/6

American Foundation of Savoy Orders Roster 2005 E/2013/NGO/7 American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad, Inc / AYUDA, Inc.)


Ankara Foundation of Children with Leukemia Special 2007 E/2013/NGO/8

Asabe Shehu Yar'Adua Foundation Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/144

Assemblea delle Donne per lo Sviluppo e la Lotta Contro L'Esclusione (ASDO)


Association Burkinabé pour la Survie de l'Enfance Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/94

Association des Jeunes pour l'Agriculture du Mali Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/98 Association for Social and Environmental Development Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/10 Association Mauritanienne pour la promotion du droit Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/95 Association Mondiale de Psychanalyse du Champ Freudien AMP Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/96 Association of African Entrepreneurs Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/11

Association Points-Coeur Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/97 Association pour l'Intégration et le Développement Durable au Burundi


Australian Association of Yoga in Daily Life Roster 2004 E/2013/NGO/145

AVSI Foundation General 1996 E/2013/NGO/2

Cause Première Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/12

Center for Africa Development and Progress Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/13

Centre Africain de Recherche Industrielle (CARI) Special 2001 E/2013/NGO/100 Centre de Formation aux Techniques Informatiques Special 2009 E/2013/NGO/101 Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione Febbraio 74 General 2002 E/2013/NGO/14

Child Care Consortium Special 2006 E/2013/NGO/15 Children of the World - Regional Public Charitable Fund of Assistance to Cultural and Sports Development of Children and Young People, The


Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/16 Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul Special 2007 E/2013/NGO/17 Concile Mondial de Congres Diplomatiques des Aumoniers pour la Paix Universelle des Droits Humains et Juridiques


Confédération Européenne des Cadres CEC Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/18 Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd Special 1996 E/2013/NGO/19 Consultative Council of Jewish Organizations Special 1947 E/2013/NGO/20

Consumers International General 1977 E/2013/NGO/21 Coordination Francaise du Lobby Europeen des Femmes Special 2000 E/2013/NGO/103 Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences Roster E/2013/NGO/22

Council on Health Research for Development Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/23

Earth Child Institute, Inc. Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/24

Ecumenical Federation of Constantinopolitans Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/27

21 Each written statement can be found on the UN Official Document System (ODS) website in each of the six official languages: http://www.un.org/en/documents/ods

31


Year of Status


Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs Special 2006 E/2013/NGO/32

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/33 Environmental Management for Livelihood Improvement - Bwaise Facility


Federacion Internacional de Asociaciones de Ayuda Social Ecologica y Cultural FIADASEC / International Federation of Associations for Social, Ecological and Cultural Help


Federation Europeenne des Centres de Recherche et d'Information sur le Sectarisme (FECRIS)


Fondation Genereuse Developpement Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/104 Fondation Ostad Elahi - Ethique et Solidarite Humaine Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/105 Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/36

Friends of Africa International, Inc. Special 2009 E/2013/NGO/37

Fundacion Eudes Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/115

Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo Special 2004 E/2013/NGO/38

Fundación Proacceso ECO, Asociación Civil Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/39

Gazeteciler ve Yazarlar Vakfi General 2012 E/2013/NGO/40 Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/41 Human Rights Association for Community Development in Assiut


HYDROAID Water for Development Institute Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/42 Ibero American Institute of Aeronautic and Space Law and Commercial Aviation


Imam Ali’s Popular Students Relief Society Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/46

Indian Development Foundation Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/47 Information Habitat: Where Information Lives (IHWIL) Special 1995 E/2013/NGO/48 Ingenieurs du Monde Special 2006 E/2013/NGO/49

Innovation: Africa Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/50

Institute for Planetary Synthesis Roster 1998 E/2013/NGO/136

Institute of International Social Development Special 2000 E/2013/NGO/116 International Architects Designers Planners for Social Responsibility


International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences

Roster E/2013/NGO/51

International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/30 International Commission on Occupational Health Roster E/2013/NGO/52

International Council of Scientific Unions Special 1971 E/2013/NGO/31 International Ecological Safety Cooperative Organization Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/117 International Federation for Family Development General 2011 E/2013/NGO/124

International Federation for Home Economics Special 1981 E/2013/NGO/132

International Federation of University Women Special 1947 E/2013/NGO/53

International Ocean Institute Special 2007 E/2013/NGO/118

International Ontopsychology Association Special 1999 E/2013/NGO/54 International Presentation Association of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary


International Public Policy Institute Roster 1984 E/2013/NGO/56

International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/57

International Shinto Foundation (ISF) Special 2001 E/2013/NGO/58

Internet Society Special 2010 E/2013/NGO/59

Interregional Union of Life Help for Mentally Handicapped Persons "Sail of Hope"


IRESC International Radio Emergency Support Coalition Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/44

IUS PRIMI VIRI International Association Special 2004 E/2013/NGO/29

Jeunesse Horizon Special 2004 E/2013/NGO/114

32


Year of Status


Korea Institute of Brain Science (KIBS) Roster 2007 E/2013/NGO/129

Krityanand UNESCO Club Jamshedpur Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/60

Legiao da Boa Vontade - Legion of Good Will General 1999 E/2013/NGO/61

Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, Inc. Special 1998 E/2013/NGO/62

Mouvement Mondial des Mères International General 2004 E/2013/NGO/63

Movement for a Better World Special 2003 E/2013/NGO/64

Mundo Sin Guerras Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/125 National Council of Child Rights Advocates, Nigeria: South West Zone


NCCI (NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq) Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/65

New Future Foundation, Inc. Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/67

Ngoma Club Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/106

Nigeria-Togo Association Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/107

Objectif Sciences International Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/68

OceanCare Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/133

ONG Hope International General 2011 E/2013/NGO/108 Organisation Mondiale des associations pour l'éducation prénatale


Organisation pour la Communication en Afrique et de Promotion de la Cooperation Economique Internationale - OCAPROCE Internationale


Osservatorio per la Comunicazione Culturale e l'Audiovisivo nel Mediterraneo e nel Mondo


Pacific Rim Institute for Development & Education Special 1999 E/2013/NGO/120

Peace Operation Training Institute Inc. Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/135

Peace Worldwide Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/71

Pos Keadilan Peduli Ummat Special 2008 E/2013/NGO/72

Quaker Earthcare Witness Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/73

RESO-Femmes Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/110

Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/74

Salesian Missions, Inc. Special 2007 E/2013/NGO/137

Save the Children International General 1993 E/2013/NGO/75

Saviya Development Foundation Special 1998 E/2013/NGO/76

Self-Help Development Facilitators Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/77

Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/78

Social Initiatives Support Fund Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/79

Society for Upliftment of Masses, The Special 1999 E/2013/NGO/121

Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries Special 2000 E/2013/NGO/130

Society to Support Children Suffering from Cancer (MAHAK) Special 2001 E/2013/NGO/126

Somali Women Civil War Survivors Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/134

Sri Swami Madhavananda World Peace Council Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/127

Stichting Spanda Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/122

Synergie Developpement et Partenariat International (SYDEPI - SYFODIP)


The Institute for Conscious Global Change, Inc. Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/80

Third Word Academy of Science Roster E/2013/NGO/146

Third World Network Roster E/2013/NGO/128

Tour Opération et Initiatives Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/112

Training for Women Network Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/81

Umid Support to social development public union Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/82

Union for International Cancer Control Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/131

Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs Special 2003 E/2013/NGO/91

33


Year of Status


United Cities and Local Governments General 1947 E/2013/NGO/83

Univers de Solidarité et de Développement Special 2011 E/2013/NGO/113

Unnayan Onneshan Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/84

Virtue Foundation Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/85

Voice of Change International Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/86

Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo Special 2009 E/2013/NGO/87

Women Environmental Programme Special 2005 E/2013/NGO/88

Women's Board Educational Cooperation Society Special 2001 E/2013/NGO/89

WOOMB International Ltd Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/147

World Blind Union General 1999 E/2013/NGO/90 World Circle of the Consensus:Self-sustaining People, Orgnizations and Communities (SPOC)

Roster 2000 E/2013/NGO/138

World Family Organization General 1948 E/2013/NGO/139

World for World Organization Special 2006 E/2013/NGO/140

World Society for the Protection of Animals Special 1971 E/2013/NGO/143

World Society of Victimology Special 1987 E/2013/NGO/141

Yakutia - Our Opinion Special 2012 E/2013/NGO/142

Voices of NGOs on Science, Technology and Innovation

Documents

Transcript of Voices of NGOs on Science, Technology and Innovation